"Don't do this, have to protect every religion": Farooq Abdullah after Assam Assembly ends break for Friday 'namaaz'

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday that Hindu and Muslim MLAs together sat and unanimously took the decision that they will work during this period also.

Following the decision by the Assam Assembly to do away with the practice of a two hour break provided on Fridays to facilitate Muslim legislators to offer 'Namaz', Jammu and Kashmir Former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah on Saturday said that given the unity in diversity in India, it is necessary to protect the interests of every religion. "Jab waqt aayega ye badal jayega. Achi cheeze phir se wapas aajayengi (When the time comes this will change. Good things will come back again). Don't do this. There is unity in diversity in this country. People of so many languages live here and that is why India is a federal structure. We have to protect every religion here," Farooq said.

Assam Assembly on August 30 announced that it was ending the practice of providing a two-hour adjournment for 'Jumma prayers' every Friday, that was introduced by Saadulah's Muslim League government in colonial Assam. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said yesterday that Hindu and Muslim MLAs together sat and unanimously took the decision that they will work during this period also.

"The Hindus and Muslims of our assembly sat in the Malas Rule Committee and unanimously resolved that the two-hour break is not right. We should work during this period as well. This practice started in 1937 and has been discontinued from yesterday," Sarma said. Former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav labasted the decision and alleged that the Assam Chief Minister wants "cheap popularity" and further said that the BJP wants to "bother Muslims in some way or the other."

Samajwadi Party leader ST Hassan said, "Himanta Biswa Sarma spreads poison in the society. His government is against Muslims." According to the previous rule, the sitting of the Assembly on Friday used to be adjourned at 11 am to facilitate Muslim members to go for namaaz, but, as per the new rule, the Assembly will conduct its proceedings without any adjournment for religious purposes.

As per the amended rule, the Assam assembly will commence its proceedings at 9.30 am every day, including Fridays. The order stated that the amendment was done to scrap the colonial practice which aimed at dividing the society on a religious basis. (ANI)

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